How do marketing leaders build trust with executives?

Joshua Spanier

Vice President · Google

Use data

Joshua Spanier says marketing leaders build trust with executive leadership by grounding answers in data and marketing science, so they can tell their CFO what different spending levels return; Google's mantra is that data trumps opinion.

The answer starts at 9:51.

Rachel Truair

Chief Marketing Officer · Demandbase

Align with executive goals

Rachel Truair says aligning AI initiatives with the efficiency and growth priorities she wants to invest in will help make a better case and put it in context for the board or CEO.

The answer starts at 24:48.

Jessica Apotheker

Managing Director & Senior Partner · Boston Consulting Group (Bcg)

Deliver ROI

Jessica Apotheker says marketing leaders build trust with executive leadership by delivering ROI, since CMOs constantly ask where the return is when they spend, and she holds her work accountable to proven ROI uplift.

The answer starts at 15:41.

Laura Jones

Chief Marketing Officer at Instacart · Instacart

Transparency

Laura Jones says marketing leaders build trust with executive leadership through transparency: sharing numbers when good and bad with a plan, and bringing them along on measurement changes, since execs share the goal of making every dollar work harder.

Paul Caruso M. ED.

Vice President, Head of Digital Marketing · U.S. Bank

Show actionable results

Paul Caruso M. ED. says marketing leaders build trust by starting with one decision that shows actionable, meaningful results and building on it, because trust doesn't happen overnight.

Amanda Cole

Chief Marketing Officer · Bloomreach

Focus on revenue

Amanda Cole says marketing leaders should focus on revenue, which she calls the most important number and says marketing should care about the most.

Jordan Slover

Founder · Neon Ambition

Speak the language of business

Jordan Slover says marketing leaders should speak the language of business—talking revenue, profit, balance sheets and commercial priorities with CEOs and finance—because otherwise they won’t be taken seriously as marketers.

Lucinda Barlow

Senior Director, Head of International Marketing (APAC, EMEA, Latin America) · Uber

Show results, be transparent

Lucinda Barlow says marketing leaders build trust with executive leadership by showing results—including when campaigns didn't work—and being transparent about both the good and the bad.